Crossing a Deep River: A Ritual Drama in Three Movements (Staged Reading I)

Experience a powerful fusion of history, ritual, and storytelling in this staged reading of Crossing a Deep River: A Ritual Drama in Three Movements. Presented in conjunction with The African Odyssey exhibition, this transformative performance ushers its audience through a collective ritual healing of ancestral wounds while engaging directly with Montpelier’s history as a former site of enslavement. Join us for a thought-provoking encounter between place and memory. Following the performance, participate in a structured talkback in the form of a Braxton Institute Dialogue on Resistance and Thriving. Featuring: Mélisande Short-Colomb (storyteller, performer, and playwright); Omiyẹmi Artisia Green (Chair, Howard University Department of Theatre Arts); Rev. Dr. Joanne “Jodi” Braxton (playwright; co-founder, Braxton Institute); and Ìyá Ìfánìkẹ Batts (director; Co-coordinator of Musical Theatre, Howard University). For the full experience, begin your visit at the Montpelier Historic Site & Museum to explore The African Odyssey exhibition on its final day. Featuring photographs from Dr. Braxton’s research journey to West Africa, the exhibit provides powerful context for the staged reading and the histories that inspired it.